Request - strata recipes - Christmas brunch

[Guest guest]

I've been looking for recipes for a great-tasting strata for Christmas morning

brunch. Was wondering if anyone had any 'tried and true' recipes that they could

share. I have a few recipes that I've already tried that I've not been too happy

with and would love to hear from others.

 

Thanks in advance for your help,

Pam Barker

St. Petersburg, FL

[Guest guest]

At 12:59 PM 12/8/01 -0500, you wrote:

>I've been looking for recipes for a great-tasting strata for Christmas

>morning brunch. Was wondering if anyone had any 'tried and true' recipes

>that they could share. I have a few recipes that I've already tried that

>I've not been too happy with and would love to hear from others.

 

There are several strata recipes in the old messages (archives) of this

group at www., including one for Vegetable-and-Cheese Strata

which is my tried and true recipe.

 

Here is a recipe that I have not tried:

 

* Exported from MasterCook *

 

Tomato & Spinach Strata

 

Recipe By : Eating Well Holiday Recipes, Winter 1995, page 82

Serving Size : 12 Preparation Time :0:00

Categories : Breakfast Main Dishes, Vegetarian

Vegetables

 

Amount Measure Ingredient -- Preparation Method

-------- ------------ --------------------------------

***TOMATO SAUCE***

1 1/2 teaspoons olive oil

1 onion -- coarsely chopped

3 cloves garlic. minced

56 ounces canned plum tomatoes -- drained

1 bay leaf

1/2 teaspoon dried thyme or oregano

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Salt & freshly ground black pepper -- to taste

***STRATA***

1 tablespoon olive oil

2 onions -- chopped

3/4 pound mushrooms -- trimmed

and thinly sliced -- (4 cups)

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

2 pounds nonfat cottage cheese

20 ounces chopped frozen spinach -- (2 10-oz. pkgs)

thawed and squeezed dry

OR 3 pounds fresh spinach -- cooked

squeezed dry and chopped

1/4 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg

1 pound best-quality Italian bread loaf

(preferably day-old)

sliced into 1/4-inch-thick slices

1/2 pound part-skim mozzarella cheese -- thinly sliced

4 large eggs

4 large egg whites

2 cups skim milk

1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

 

This layered egg-cheese-bread dish has been around since the turn of the

century; the name " strata " turned up in the '70s and is probably one cook's

bit of whimsy that stuck.

 

To make tomato sauce: Heat oil in a large heavy (preferably nonstick)

saucepan over medium heat. Add onions and sauté until softened, 3 to 5

minutes. Add garlic and sauté 2 minutes longer. Add tomatoes, bay leaf

and thyme or oregano. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring and breaking up

tomatoes well with a fork or wooden spoon, until thickened, 15 to 20

minutes. Remove bay leaf. Stir in parsley and season with salt and

pepper. Let cool. (The sauce can be made ahead and stored, covered in the

refrigerator up to 2 days.)

 

To make strata: Lightly brush two 8-by-12-inch or similar shallow 2-quart

baking dishes with vegetable oil, or spray with nonstick cooking

spray. Heat 1 1/2 teaspoons of the oil in a large nonstick skillet over

medium-high heat, Add onions and sauté for 2 to 3 minutes. Lower heat to

medium and cook until the onions are softened but not browned, 3 to 5

minutes longer. Transfer onions to a bowl.

 

Add the remaining 1 1/2 teaspoons oil to the skillet; raise heat to

medium-high. Add mushrooms and sauté until the moisture has evaporated, 4

to 5 minutes. Transfer to the bowl with the onions and season with 1/4

teaspoon of the salt and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper.

 

Line a medium bowl with a double thickness of cheesecloth and spoon cottage

cheese into center. Gather up the cheesecloth, squeeze out and discard all

the liquid from the cottage cheese. In the bowl, combine the pressed

cottage cheese, spinach, nutmeg, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4

teaspoon pepper.

 

Spoon about one-quarter of the tomato sauce into the bottom of one of the

prepared baking dishes. Arrange one-quarter of the bread slices over the

tomato sauce. Spoon half of the spinach mixture over the bread. Arrange

another layer of bread over the spinach. Scatter half of the onions and

mushrooms over the bread. Top with half of the mozzarella cheese. Spoon

another quarter of the tomato sauce over top. Repeat these steps in

assembling the second strata.

 

In a small bowl, whisk together eggs, egg whites and milk; pour slowly over

the casseroles, poking the bread gently with the tip of a knife until the

eggs have been absorbed. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

 

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Bake the stratas, uncovered, for 40

minutes. Sprinkle with Parmesan and bake for 10 minutes longer, or until

puffed and golden brown. Let stand for 10 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley,

cut into squares and serve hot.

 

Serves 12.

 

375 CALORIES PER SERVING: 33 G PROTEIN; 8 G FAT; 43 G CARBOHYDRATE; 911 MG

SODIUM; 90 MG CHOLESTEROL.

 

 

 

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